Your guide to the Cloud - Getting your business off the ground - Virgin Media Business
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Your guide to the Cloud Getting your business off the ground.
A G U IDE TO C LOUD
Inside this guide
Getting started What’s it all about 4
Making the case 1. Smash customer service out of the park 6
for cloud
2. Throw a ring of steel around your business 7
3. Collaborate - any time, any place 8
4. Get the dull stuff done with less effort 9
5. Make even better decisions 10
6. Save money everyday 11
Before you go... Apps to get you started 13
Don’t take our word for it... 14
Unleash your business 15
2
SECTION 1 Getting started
GU I DE TO C LOUD
What’s it all about?
Everyone seems to agree the phone, tablet or PC. But the ‘thing’, the actual
Cloud is important. But what purchase itself, happens on their servers
does that mean exactly? Why which are on the internet, or in ‘the Cloud’.
is it important? And how can it And because the internet is a very easy
benefit your business? way to access stuff, the type of ‘services’ or They said:
‘apps’ now available online go much further
This is your guide to the Cloud. Everything
than traditional websites. As a business,
you wanted to know, and everything you “Cloud technology is enabling
we can now do our accountancy, manage a
were afraid to ask. So, let’s start at the
complex project, send emails to thousands start-ups to get off the ground,
beginning: what is the Cloud?
of people or complete dozens of other tasks established businesses grow, and
Well, in a way, it’s just another name for the – all online.
internet. It’s made up of all the computers
empowering managers to make
Collectively, these are known as ‘cloud apps’
(or, more correctly, servers) that don’t live in better informed decisions.”
or ‘cloud services’. And when people ask:
your office but that you can access via an
‘Are you using the Cloud?’ this is typically
internet connection. Connectivity made simple: how the Cloud
what they mean. can benefit your SME, The Telegraph, Feb 17
So, when you buy something from Amazon,
Make sense?
book a train ticket, or do almost anything
online, you send information from your
4
SECTION 2 Making the case for cloud The Cloud answers many of the problems that small businesses face.
M A KIN G TH E CASE FO R CLO UD
1 Smash customer service
out of the park
Everyone talks about putting the customer When they drop by or call up, anyone in
first. But it’s not easy. The time and attention your team can quickly retrieve their details
it takes to deliver your core business is from one central location, glance through
a strict mistress, and finding the time or their purchase history and start the right Fact
resource to give customers the best possible conversation – without the annoying
experience of your brand is a constant battle. repetitive questions. And we all know
“SMBs using cloud technology
that people who remember us feel like
Knowing your customers people we’d rather do business with. to overcome their growth
The right cloud app can knit customer You can even use this data to create
challenges grow 26% faster and
experience into everyone’s daily routine. personalised offers and automated deliver 21% higher gross profits.”
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) marketing, based on that customer’s
services give you the power to truly know preferences.
your customers.
Small Business, Big Technology: How the Cloud
enables rapid growth in SMBs, Deloitte, Sep 14
6
M A KIN G TH E CASE FO R CLO UD
2 Throw a ring of steel
around your business
Having the data stored off-site takes the So, do you need to stock up on in-house
pressure off you; in the worst-case scenario, servers to store the data and expensive
where something happened to your servers, security systems to keep them safe?
you’d know all your data is still secure. Why? They said
Because companies like Microsoft spend Keeping everything
millions on making their servers bulletproof. safe with cloud “Perhaps the most obvious benefit
It’s literally military grade security, and you
get to benefit from it. By utilising cloud services, automatic of hybrid cloud technology...
Personal data about your customers and
software patches and updates will is that SMEs are presented with
likely be applied as soon as they’re
employees is subject to Data Protection released giving you peace of mind that enterprise class IT capabilities at
laws. Meanwhile, you also need to fiercely you’re protected. a much lower cost.”
guard any intellectual property you believe
gives you a competitive advantage. But Plus, if you transfer all of your critical and
Connectivity made simple: how the Cloud can
any hack into your system isn’t going to be sensitive data to the Cloud, you might be benefit your SME, The Telegraph, Feb 17
helpful – being compromised digitally is a able to be a little more open elsewhere. After
stressful experience. all, there’s less intrusion threat from offering
guest WiFi if your internal network doesn’t
directly store your customer database and
employee records.
7
M A KIN G TH E CASE FO R CLO UD
3 Collaborate
– any time, any place
So, it’s the weekend. All your data is locked For starters, the deck you’re working on
away in your shop, factory, warehouse or could be managed in an app allowing you to
office. You’ve got a big presentation for a improve the slides in real-time while you’re on
potential investor and customer on Monday a video conference together, while the app They said
morning. You’re already working with the MD applies version control so nothing is lost in
via email, honing it to perfection. But there’s the process.
“47% of respondents gave
a key piece of data you’re both missing that’s
sitting on your company’s server.
It means even location is now becoming mobility and remote working
less of an issue for many startups, who are
Time to get in the car and lose precious basing themselves where property prices are
as their primary reason for
hours of relaxation. Or, you could host it cheaper and the quality of life is higher, and cloud adoption.”
in the Cloud. then collaborating with whoever they need
to, wherever they might be that day. Small Business, Big Technology: How the Cloud
Seamless working enables rapid growth in SMBs, Deloitte, Sep 14
At its heart, it’s about enjoying more control
Not only is your data accessible anytime, over your work-life balance – something
anywhere once you’re cloud-based, but there that’s a huge draw to staff who crave the
are lots of specific apps and productivity extra freedom and flexibility of working from
tools to help you collaborate more effectively. anywhere, on any device.
8
M A KIN G TH E CASE FO R CLO UD
4 Get the dull stuff
done with less effort
You probably didn’t get in to business to do And these benefits are relevant whatever
admin. But invoicing, accounts, scheduling the size or type of business you run.
and payroll is, at least before you grow to a
significant size, a big part of what you or your
For instance, skilled tradespeople such as Fact
builders, gardeners and fitness instructors
core team need to do.
who work outside their home now have all
And that’s leaving you less time to focus their data at their fingertips constantly. “86% of those surveyed
on the aspects of the business you fell in Useful if you remember you need to send out believe the Cloud enables
love with. that invoice – or book an appointment. You
can do the admin even when on top of some
their business to scale
Take the pain out of admin scaffolding, mopping up a spill, or running and grow faster.”
across the park.
Making general business admin easier and Small Business, Big Technology: How the Cloud
quicker is now a business model itself. Which And, as you grow, your new colleagues will enables rapid growth in SMBs, Deloitte, Sep 14
is why there’s been a proliferation of services be able to do the same.
in the Cloud. Not only have cloud apps made
complex tasks like book keeping easier but
it’s had the knock-on effect that the to-do list
is now quicker to race through.
9
M A KIN G TH E CASE FO R CLO UD
5 Make even better decisions
Cloud systems are also great at getting For instance, by using a cloud payment
you better information. And with better system, high street and online retailers can
information you make better decisions. flow the revenue records straight into their
accountancy app. So, you instantly get a view Fact
Unlike old school desktop applications,
of when you’re most profitable – perhaps
cloud apps are often based around
suggesting which lines to merchandise most
dashboards – quick overviews of the most
prominently at different times of day.
“By 2020 it is estimated that
essential information. But click and you can 78% of small businesses are
often segment and look at your data in new With joined-up data the potential becomes
and interesting ways, finding new insight almost limitless. In fact, cloud-based expected to host their IT
into what’s driving success (or failure) in integrations have made entirely new business environments in the Cloud.”
your business. models possible. You just can’t do things like
same day delivery for your customers if your IDC, Worldwide SMB Public IT Cloud
Joined-up data payment, stock, customer data and logistics
Services 2014–2018 Forecast, Oct 14
apps don’t all talk to each other in real time.
This is, in part, possible because cloud
systems have been developed to integrate
with each other easily. Many applications can
talk to other applications – so you can see all
the metrics in your business in many places.
10M A KIN G TH E CASE FO R CLO UD
6 Save money every day
There are no upfront costs or opex Talk is cheap (now)
required with moving to the cloud,
(unlike, say, installing a server). All the WiFi cares little about geography, so it
difficult, technical stuff is handled in makes sense to move calls to the Cloud.
industrial-strength (and sized) data centres,
With a switch to Voice over IP (VoIP) not only
by someone else. There are little to no
will the cost of internal phone calls within
running costs – no maintenance costs.
your business be virtually eliminated, your
No breakdown costs. Managing and
external phone bills could also shrink.
running on-site equipment costs a lot
and if it breaks… you have to pay for it. So, free up your employees to communicate
with customers, suppliers and each other –
As payments are on monthly or yearly
whenever they need to and wherever they
payment schedules, you know exactly
are in the world.
what you need to pay and when – nothing
unexpected is going to need to be paid for,
so you can plan ahead.
11SECTION 3 Before you go... The Cloud answers many of the problems that small businesses face.
BE FORE YOU G O
Apps to get you started
Every business needs the tools to harness the power of the Cloud. Here are two great
apps we recommend to help you get up and running. Take full advantage of the
Cloud’s power to make collaboration, sharing, and working anywhere, easier. Enjoy.
Unleashing your Digital Potential
Add Voom Fibre on top, and you’ll have
unleashed your businesses from the shackles
Share, sync and collaborate on files securely Get data flowing around your business of compromise. Because when your business
uses ultrafast broadband, you get the best
Dropbox Business is your passport to: Take Office stalwarts like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, cloud services experience possible.
Outlook and more, add the power and flexibility of
•S
haring data easily with colleagues, partners,
the Cloud, and you get Office 365.
supplier and contractors – and keeping track of it. Fact
Office 365 puts all your apps, emails and files at
•G
iving your team an easy-to-use way to access
your fingertips, wherever you go, making it an obvious
content across any device.
partner for ultrafast broadband and the Cloud.
“69% of respondents expect
•S
ecuring your business and nailing those industry to increase their use of cloud-
• Always up-to-date. Never buy a new version
regulations, without the worry or effort.
of Office again! based technology in the next
It’s more collaboration. More time saved. More three years.”
• Professional users can install Office on up to
money saved. And better customer experiences.
5 PCs or Macs. Small Business, Big Technology: How the Cloud
enables rapid growth in SMBs, Deloitte, Sep 2014
• Save to the Cloud for back up and anywhere access.
• Use Office on smartphones and tablets.
13BE FORE YOU G O
But don’t take
our word for it…
The world’s biggest businesses are
harnessing the power of the Cloud.
“Small businesses are increasingly taking So, small businesses don’t have to worry “Organisations that empower their people
advantage of cloud-based solutions about their costly legacy file server or with the latest tools, like Office 365, that foster
as part of their digital transformation dread the thought of collaborating on collaboration and enable flexible, mobile
strategy because they enable them to be the go with anyone. Instead, they’re able working are discovering that these are the key
more productive, agile and accelerate to focus purely on their goals. They can staff that are driving their businesses forward.”
ideas into revenue. When technology work without limits - to drive growth,
Microsoft UK Enterprise Team
truly works, you forget it’s there. Dropbox unlock opportunities and unleash
Business unites devices, apps and their creativity.”
offices, letting small teams have a big
Simon Aldous, Head of EMEA Channels at Dropbox
impact with lean resources.
14BE FORE YOU G O
Unleash your
business
Want to make the most of the Cloud? We’ve Fact
got all the tools, advice, and services you
need to unleash your business. “Small businesses with growing
• Ultrafast broadband gives you up to 350Mbps from revenue are 50% more likely to
just £30 a month – no one can run cloud applications
as quickly and efficiently as us.
prefer cloud IT delivery.”
•U
pload and download huge amounts of data to the IDC, Worldwide SMB Public IT Cloud
Services 2014–2018 Forecast, Oct 14
Cloud, without slowing everything else down.
•E
njoy preferential rates on top apps like Microsoft
Office 365 and Dropbox Business when you pair
with Voom Fibre. The more you spend, the bigger
the discount.
•C
onsolidate everything. Get apps from the same
supplier you get broadband from, making it easier
to keep track of everything.
15Thank you Ready to find out more? Head over to: virginmediabusiness.co.uk/applications/business-applications or chat to one of our experts on: 0808 231 7013
You can also read
